Yesterday was Thanksgiving… today is Black Friday… Monday is Cyber Monday… Your life is full of a parade of endless events, holidays and occasions. How they FILL YOU or EMPTY YOU (people call that “stress”) comes from how you are in your core. How much can you take from the outside world before you start knocking yourself down?

The worst abuser you will ever meet is YOU. (Take one deep BREATH here.) Take that in for a moment. The worst pain, the stolen opportunities, the negative talk…most of it has come from you….Sure it may have originated from someone outside of you but a part of you took that on and even without anyone else being there IMPRISONED you in this BOX of how you SHOULD be.

Now, your box might be very PRETTY…or even very BIG but do you really want to live in a box?

Great B-I-G hugs,
Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

🙂

WHAT IS BUTTERFLYMOMS?ButterflyMoms is a community of people who realize they are souls first and human being second. They want to explore more about themselves, to find out what makes them happy and how they can lead a life of purpose. It is simply about FEEDING YOUR SOUL. Although it has the name “MOMS” in the title it is more about being nurturing to your own transformation, as the butterfly is to its own metamorphosis. This community is led by Maria Salomão-Schmidt whose transformation was ignited by the birth and death of her BELOVED thirteen month old daughter Sophia (Sophalicious), the original butterfly.

*Every Thursday night we have a ButterflyMoms workshop at 783 Washington Street in Holliston, MA at 8pm that feeds your soul. They started after Maria manifested her dream…with the help of Sophia…to be a guest on THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW and every week since she had done the workshop on Thursday nights.

*Every Friday morning, as a way of honoring Sophia’s soul, Maria gets up at 4:30am to write the weekly ButterflyMoms blog. Hundreds of people read it every week to feed their souls. Maria started writing the blog in 2009 and has written EVERY Friday since NO MATTER WHAT!

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?…MORE WAYS TO FEED YOUR SOUL…√ I have space for one more coaching clients. If you are interested send me an email maria@butterflymoms.com!
√ FREE…Here is the magnificent ButteflyMoms interview on Nancy Cantor’s Dream Factory Television Show… I hope you watch it and that it feeds your soul! ! http://vimeo.com/30095902

√ If you know someone who wants to start a business and wants to be successful at it buy them the book I co-wrote…ENTREPRENEUR MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE by CLICKING HERE NOW… http://bit.ly/gRxe4U If you have been thinking about starting a business or want to take your business to the next level this is a wonderful way to start. WAY cheaper than going back to school…and very helpful!

THE BOOK… “Mom Entrepreneur Extraordinaire”
The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live, who bought our wonderful book, MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE… Buy one so you can put your city/town/country on the list like so many other beautiful ButterflyMoms have!

With all this “different” weather we have been having it’s hard to tell but if you turn on your radio you will see that the “HOLIDAY” season is upon us. If we break down the word it means HOLY DAYS. Take that in for a moment, when you think about the triple threat combo of Thanksgiving * Xmas/Kwanza/Hannukah * New Years Eve/Day do you FEEL “HOLY” or do you feel STRESSED?

Let that REALLY sink in…Take a DEEP DEEP BREATH here for this is a GREAT BIG JUICY lesson…if you let it be…YOU get to CHOOSE which story you want by HOW you live your life. Honestly, check in with yourself, it’s just you and me right now, here playing with these words…YOU ARE SAFE. Check in with yourself and notice if you are living YOUR life… or the life someone else told you to live. (BREATHE) This is NOT a ONE-SIZE FITS ALL LIFE! People have lived that way for a long time but the growing AWARENESS is shifting that. There are people who are very MAD that the SHIFT is happening…mainly because they followed the rules of the LAND OF SHOULD. They sacrificed their dreams. They worked HARD. Did what they were supposed to do even if it meant sacrificing their inner voice/callings, and now the rules are all shifting. They are shifting at a historically huge pace!

Now I used the word SACRIFICING…let’s break down that word. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary TO SACRIFICE means “destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else.” We were killing our inner individual voice for the sake of a larger group. Fitting was almost always necessary for survival so at that time it made a lot of sense.

So for eons we have been giving their power to the structures of our societies (organizations, families, traditions). This was just assumed for thousands of years… and NOW we human beings are re-thinking WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE. We may still give our power to these institutions but we do it more mindfully than ever before. For those who are not being mindful and just operating in their THIS IS WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO mode, you are creating the perfect storm for the perfect ADULT TEMPER TANTRUM…. Stressing over money, Cramming more things into your already bulging to do list, Surrounding yourself with energy vampires, Not liking what is reflected back in the mirror, Not fitting into your fat jeans, Eating highly processed foods, Drinking too much, Sleeping too little, Moving too little…these are all things that bring you more and more OUT OF ALIGNMENT with your TRUE SELF. When that happens the little kid inside of you that you have been ABUSING and/or NEGLECTING will momentarily show you just how much she is DISAPPOINTED. Be kind to her. Be kind to your SELF.

So where do you start? START WHERE YOU ARE. Right now, check in. Might feel different at first, especially if you don’t often listen to you and your needs but practice it more and more. If you are feeling STRESSED know that is you losing energy. Find ways to FLOW with your day instead of cramming, worrying, excusing, complaining, dreading your way through it. SHOW UP FOR YOU! Right now list three things you can do to FEED YOUR SOUL…RIGHT NOW! Write them down. It will first start with little things and will eventually grow to big things.

I have been doing this for months. The ButterflyMoms group I run has inspired me in soooo many wonderful ways. The courage those who have come have shown is simply inspiring. (AHHHHHHHHHHHH!) (sigh) For months I’ve been doing these little things so today I’ve built up the courage (and CARVED out the time) to go to Boston for the day to go start writing my next book! It feels scary and awesome! I always feel soooo good when I’m in a city and Boston and I go way back. I feel sooooo good there…I know I’m repeating myself but it bears repeating! Today is an adventure. It will be interesting to see what I come up with…but that is living! 🙂

Speaking of living…this HOLY DAY SEASON, add some AWARENESS to where you are “planting” your thoughts and actions. Create as much MEANING and FUN as you can. A bumpy ride it will be but being fully alive calls for ups and downs…just like a heartbeat. Up and down is a healthy heart….a flat line heart beat is death. I invite you have the most magical HOLY DAY SEASON….evah (Bostonian way of saying “ever” ;)!!!)

Finally, next week is our 26th ButterflyMoms workshop in a row – that is a whole half a year since The Oprah Winfrey Show! Since it falls on a Thanksgiving instead of a LIVE meeting I’m going to have a 30 minute conference call at 8pm (our normal start time) to help kick off your HOLY DAY SEASON on the right foot. And instead of the normal $25 it’s only $5 for the call. Space is limited so please sign up today… https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=UJJK8Z2SZ2NLE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! I’m sooooooooooo THANKFUL for you! What a wonderful journey! J Glad we are on it together!

Great B-I-G hugs,
Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

WHAT IS BUTTERFLYMOMS?ButterflyMoms is a community of people who realize they are souls first and human being second. They want to explore more about themselves, to find out what makes them happy and how they can lead a life of purpose. It is simply about FEEDING YOUR SOUL. Although it has the name “MOMS” in the title it is more about being nurturing to your own transformation, as the butterfly is to its own metamorphosis. This community is led by Maria Salomão-Schmidt whose transformation was ignited by the birth and death of her BELOVED thirteen month old daughter Sophia (Sophalicious), the original butterfly.

*Every Thursday night we have a ButterflyMoms workshop at 783 Washington Street in Holliston, MA at 8pm that feeds your soul. They started after Maria manifested her dream…with the help of Sophia…to be a guest on THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW and every week since she had done the workshop on Thursday nights.

*Every Friday morning, as a way of honoring Sophia’s soul, Maria gets up at 4:30am to write the weekly ButterflyMoms blog. Hundreds of people read it every week to feed their souls. Maria started writing the blog in 2009 and has written EVERY Friday since.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?…MORE WAYS TO FEED YOUR SOUL…
√ Just finished our 25th week in a row of ButterflyMoms Workshops since being on THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW!!!!! For our 26th we are going to try something new and fun! Since it’s on THANKSGIVING I’m offering up a 30 min conference call to help start off your HOLY DAY SEASON! And instead of the normal $25 it’s only $5 for the call. Space is limited so please sign up today… https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=UJJK8Z2SZ2NLE

√ I have space for two more coaching clients. If you are interested send me an email maria@butterflymoms.com!
√ Here is the magnificent ButteflyMoms interview on Nancy Cantor’s Dream Factory Television Show… I hope you watch it and that it feeds your soul! ! http://vimeo.com/30095902

√ We sold no ENTREPRENEUR MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE books last week. To feed the soul of a friend buy them a copy by CLICKING HERE NOW… http://bit.ly/gRxe4U If you have been thinking about starting a business or want to take your business to the next level this is a wonderful way to start. WAY cheaper than going back to school…and very helpful!
THE BOOK… “Mom Entrepreneur Extraordinaire”
The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live, who bought our wonderful book, MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE… Buy one so you can put your city/town/country on the list like so many other beautiful ButterflyMoms have!

How wonderful that you came by to read today’s blog! It is an honor that so many of you come each week even though we’ve had lots and lots of technological bumps along the way, YOU still find a way to come here and feed your soul. VERY COOL! 🙂 BUTTERFLYMOMS = ENERGY FOR YOUR SOUL!!!!

Speaking of ENERGY FOR YOUR SOUL…last weekend was our first ever ButterflyMoms YES! YES! YES! Retreat in Vermont. We had twelve women who attended from five different states. Some could only stay part of the time but they came and took from it what they needed. DEEP BREATH HERE….Ahhhhhhhhhhh! 🙂 Feels REALLY good to be in alignment with my goals… BE THE FIRE THAT IGNITES PEOPLE’s SOULS! :)!

Strike a pose, there's nothing to it...VOGUE! 😉

SIDENOTE…While I was there I got a call from OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network)… How very cool is that? I will keep you posted as things unfold. 😉 “Funny” that it happened while I was showing up for my dream….things that make you go hmmmmmm 😉

What a trip it was! MAGNIFICENT!!! The best way you could tell that it affected people was by the look on their faces as they melted into the weekend. You could also tell by their breath. When you looked at them you felt a pull from your heart towards them…at least for me because I love to hug people! 😉 The weekend was about filling up ourselves with nurturing and really seeing and hearing what each of us needed to know. So often we go into automatic pilot and don’t hear ourselves…and then we crash. The ButterflyMoms Vermont retreat was about listening to yourself NOW! We did activities that the kid in all of us love but also that the adult in each of us could accept 😉 We hiked in the magnificent woods nearby. We had amazing home cooked breakfasts (my favorite meal of the day) ;). We did shamanic journeying. We had awesome magazines for our vision boards. We listened. We were seen and heard. We shopped locally at some amazing mom and pop stores who were deeply affected by the floods of Hurricane Irene. We got stunning henna designs painted on us. We meditated. We sat at a bonfire. We bonded with the amazing locals. We made new friends. We dreamed together. We got massages. We gifted each other. We got wonderful surprises. We got butterfly wings. We did tarot card readings. We processed together. We had the privilege of going to a yoga studio location that was created from someone’s innermost dream. It was magical to be in there. I don’t have photos of everything because people were so into it that it was hard to remember to stop and take photos. We did manage a few that I have shared in today’s blog…

The key is that all of these women took time out to carve out time to come. Many have never even heard of me but they trusted a friend or they had been reading the blogs and decided that now is the time. It is about doing things that let you listen to your inner voice. As Oprah says, it first comes in a whisper. You can get really good at hearing the whispers….HOW? Start right now. Start practicing. How are you ever going to get good at it if you don’t START. YOUR divine guidance is NEVER turned off. It is flowing just like the ocean is never turned off. Ask for help when you need it. Listen for the answers. Be wise enough to see a slight change in direction may actually get you there faster. Remember when you were 15 and you thought you knew everything and then you turned 21 and then you really thought you knew everything and then you turned 25 and then you really, really thought you knew everything, and then you turned….we are always learning. That is why we are on the Earth School. We are NOT here to just pay the bills and be little good social robots who do what society deems is correct for us. There is a reason why people love the movie… NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD….go outside a busy street and look at the faces of the people driving to work….they are THE EXACT opposite of those who went to the ButterflyMoms Retreat! That is for sure!

We always say…or at least want-to-be Miss America’s always say they want WORLD PEACE. Some say that WORLD PEACE begins at home. I say WORLD PEACE begins in each of us when we let go of judging others not because it is what we are SUPPOSED to do but because it gives too much of our power away. It plants seeds in the GARDEN OF ICKIES. The only harvest is PAIN. I like to teach people to be mind-full of what gardens they are choosing to plant their seeds….their thoughts…for those create the gardens of their life! :)! May you remember this week to plant your seeds in the THE MOST LUSCIOUS GARDEN YOU CAN FIND!!! :)!

So I have already been asked to do it again so here goes…I’m officially announcing that the next ButterfyMoms Retreat is the weekend of March 23-25 again at the SPECTACULAR Lareau Farm Inn! The price which includes everything for the weekend including wonderful food, workshops, hikes, activities, special surprises, yoga, meditations, shamanic journeying, and lodging is normally priced at $365. We had a special rate of $299 which I will cut down to $275 FOR ONLY THE FIRST FIVE who sign up right now at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZAUKSQWPXYRVS. Offer good this week only so sign up now and invite a friend! You are going to LOVE the ButterflyMoms YES! YES! YES! RETREAT!!! :)! IGNITE YOUR LIFE right NOW! 🙂 I have a super big hug waiting for you! :)!

√ We sold no ENTREPRENEUR MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE books last week. To feed the soul of a friend buy them a copy by CLICKING HERE NOW… http://bit.ly/gRxe4U If you have been thinking about starting a business or want to take your business to the next level this is a wonderful way to start. WAY cheaper than going back to school…and very helpful!

THE BOOK… “Mom Entrepreneur Extraordinaire”

The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live, who bought our wonderful book, MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE… Buy one so you can put your city/town/country on the list like so many other beautiful ButterflyMoms have!

EFFORTING. TO EFFORT. In most of our cultures VALUE is placed on HOW MUCH EFFORT you put into something. My background is that I’m TRAINED in both the CORPORATE and ENTREPRENEURIAL worlds. I have my MBA. I got it because I wanted to know what “they” know. It was a combination of being curious, wanting to make more money and wanting to feel safe. My area of expertise is MARKETING and more specifically PUBLIC RELATIONS. I’ve done work with some of the world’s most incredible people like author and humanitarian Jane Goodall, former president of the USSR Mikael Gorbachev and companies like Yahoo!, Sun Microsystems, Procter & Gamble, Continental Airlines and Reebok. I’ve even done work for the governments of Portugal and Japan. I have been doing this work for decades and I am very good at it.

So when I looked at my DREAM goal for getting on The Oprah Show, I took the same model as I do when I do PR. What are my objectives? What are my resources? Mind map it, set the list of tasks and off I would go. Well, what I found on that journey was THE MORE I EFFORTED the LESS PROGRESS I made. This really stumped me. This is the way that I’ve always done it, by mostly EFFORTING. At one point I was even going to WALK to Chicago…some of you who have read the blog for a while might remember that. It was a very foolish thing given that I had very small kids at home, no money, was not trained, had no equipment, etc, etc, etc…but as a Marcus Cherry’s mom used to say, “ A hard head makes a soft ass.” I was ignorance on fire. I did not trust the universe was going to give me my dream so I was going to circumvent the system! OH YA BABY! I THOUGHT I had it all worked out! Luckily for me the producers got wind of it and categorically told me that Oprah does not like stunts like that and if I did it I would never get on. I was disappointed but also a bit relieved. Can you imagine me walking 1,000 in the dead of winter?! I don’t know that they would have ever found my body! 😉

HOW I finally got on The Oprah Show is what I teach in Thursday night ButterflyMoms workshops that you keep seeing everywhere. This upcoming Thursday will be the 20th week anniversary! YAY! That is 20 weeks of helping people stop their EFFORTING. Twenty weeks of learning how to MANIFEST the life you want! It feels soooo good! It is me accomplishing my life’s goal of BEING THE FIRE THAT IGNITES PEOPLE’S SOUL!

This whole ButterflyMoms journey is one of the most delightful adventures of my life! The gift of being able to connect with others in SUCH a meaningful and profound manner is ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR! Each step of the way I have had to find the COURAGE to drop my ARMOR (ego, ways I used to do things, expectations, shoulds) at the entrance of each new chapter of the journey. As soon as I quiet down enough I can literally hear the next “request”, or maybe the word “suggestion” would be better because I do get to choose whether I do it or not. Sometimes I wish it were more automatic because FEAR can be such a powerful deterrent to FLYING (CONNECTING TO YOUR HEART) in this lifetime! :)! How many adventures have you missed in your lifetime because you took the hand of FEAR instead of that of your INTUITION? Hmmmmmm? NO JUDGING HERE! JUST OBSERVE. TAKE A VERY DEEP LUSCIOUS BREATH AND OBSERVE!!!! BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND THE ANSWER WILL FALL OUT OF YOU. :)!

In doing my first ever ButterflyMoms retreat I have hit upon the same issue that happened with The Oprah Show, my computer is acting up. I am noticing that technology gets very screwy when I step through the doorway of another cool adventure. That is probably no surprise to you because I have listed her the weeks and weeks of computer woes. So now, here we are two weekends before the retreat and the number of people who said they would sign up has not manifested. This week my talented friend Karen Knight-Detering shared this wonderful bit of wisdom. If you are trying to move a couch and need help because it is WAY too heavy and will scratch up the floor, you simply yell out, “Hey Charlie can you give me a hand here?” REMEMBER that when you need help with your DREAM remember the COUCH EXAMPLE…and SIMPLY ASK!

So today I am taking this lesson to heart and sincerely asking for help. I ask that you trust your INTUITION more than your FEAR and come for one of THE most MAGICAL weekends you will ever have. I ask that you sign up right now. Price is normally $365 but we are having an special price of $299 until October 15th so go to www.butterflymoms.com and sign up online. If you don’t immediately hear from me when you sign up, and I mean straight from me not an automated email, than please email or call me so that I can make sure you are all set. Email me directly at maria@butterflymoms.com or call me 617.877.3616 if you have questions.

This brings up a lot of anxiety and fear because in a way I’m making myself vulnerable by telling you what I need but what I’m learning is that to open one’s heart is to become a bit more vulnerable…but the rewards are soooooooo worth it!

Here is to a fantastic day!

Please read the updates and event below. They also feed your soul!

Big honkin’ hugs,

Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

🙂

MORE WAYS TO FEED YOUR SOUL…

My Talk on IGNITING YOUR BIGGEST DREAM at the Dream Factory Community

√ Come the ButterflyMoms Vermont Retreat… and say YES! YES! YES! to your best life! Take care of yourself! October 21-23 you have a date with yourself in Vermont at the beautiful Lareau Farm Inn for the first ever ButterflyMoms YES! YES! YES! Retreat. Price is only $299 if you pay before October 15, after that it goes up to $365 which includes all the workshops, materials, most meals and lodging. There are a very limited number of spots so don’t be on the outside wishing you had booked it! Reserve your spot now!! YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! To book it send an email to maria@butterflymoms.com! Scholarships available. You will only regret NOT going!

√ Just finished our 19th week in a row of ButterflyMoms Workshops!!!!! Next week will be our 20th so there will be lots of surprises!!!! Come next Thurs, October 13 at 8pm! FRIDAY THE 13th and that is Sophia’s lucky number! J! Come feed your soul…783 Washington St, Holliston. Plenty of FREE & EASY PARKING in back. Only $25 or just $20 if pay through Paypal http://bit.ly/mS7c70

√ We no ENTREPRENEUR MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE books last week. To feed the soul of a friend buy them a copy by CLICKING HERE NOW… http://bit.ly/gRxe4U

√ I have space for one more coaching clients. If you are interested send me an email maria@butterflymoms.com!

THE BOOK… “Mom Entrepreneur Extraordinaire”

The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live who bought our wonderful book MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE… Buy one so you can put your city/town/country on the list like so many other beautiful ButterflyMoms have!

Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated!LOVE to know that you were here! It feeds my soul! Before you read today’s blog please get a pen and paper or better yet your favorite journal! 🙂

Good Morning Beautiful ButterflyMoms!

Why did you come here today? Are you bored? Are you looking for inspiration? Are you looking to connect to something with meaning? Every week about 1,000 people, both women and men, come to ButterflyMoms but WHY? Out of all the things you could be doing WHY COME HERE? WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING?

Use your breath here. Really take a veeeeeeeeeeeery l-o-n-g d-e-e-p breath. Close your eyes and do it again. HEAR YOUR BREATH. How does your body feel? Breathe again. Smile. How does it feel to be noticing what is happening in the PRESENT. If other thoughts come…gently shove them into the closet…just kidding…gently, without judging, release them out the door. If they come back one, two, twenty times, still GENTLY, WITHOUT JUDGEMENT, release them.

In this state, take your pen and paper (no keyboards as they are not as effective because they are so linear and you want more freedom for this than that)…. So in this state take you pen and paper and draw, scribble, write, play on paper for as long as you can. Give yourself at least a good 14 minutes. See what PERCULATES! Your assignment is to do this EVERY DAY this week. If you have a specific life/business issue you are working on use this wonderful accessing gift to see what you cannot see when the noise of the other world is blocking your INTUITION, your inner wisdom!

I AM THANKFUL FOR ALL MY LIFE LESSONS…GREAT AND SMALL BECAUSE THE GRATITUDE IS THE SECRET INGREDIENT FOR A MAGICAL LIFE…AND I WANT A MAGICAL LIFE!

Here is to a fantastic day! Please read the updates and event below. They also feed your soul!

Big beautiful hugs,

Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

🙂

MORE WAYS TO FEED YOUR SOUL…

√ Take care of yourself! October 21-23 you have a date with yourself in Vermont at the beautiful Lareau Farm Inn for the first ever ButterflyMoms Fall Retreat! Price is only $299 if you pay before October 15, after that it goes up to $365 which includes all the workshops, materials, most meals and lodging. There are a very limited number of spots so don’t be on the outside wishing you had booked it! We have gotten a number of requests for spots so reserve your spot now!! YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! To book it send an email to maria@butterflymoms.com! Scholarships available. You will only regret NOT going!

√ Thank you too the DreamFactory community for the amazing energy you brought to my talk on Thursday about IGNITING YOUR DREAM. It was a magnificent time! THANK YOU!

√ Just finished our 17th week in a row of ButterflyMoms Workshops!!!!! A big THANK YOU to our special guest, the amazing crystal expert Marianne Sage. You can read more about her at her site… http://www.crystalsinger.webs.com/index.html…Come next Thurs, September 29nd at 8pm where we will have a BUTTERFLYMOMS PIZZA, SALAD & WINE NIGHT! Come feed your soul and your tummy. YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER FOR THIS ONE…783 Washington St, Holliston. Plenty of FREE & EASY PARKING in back. Only $25 or just $20 if pay through Paypal http://bit.ly/mS7c70

√ We sold six ENTREPRENEUR MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE books this week! WHEW WHO! I don’t have their list of where they live so I will update it next week. Sorry about that! They were all in Massachusetts. See the cool list of all the countries and states where people have bought books at the end of this blog. To feed the soul of a friend buy them a copy by CLICKING HERE NOW… http://bit.ly/gRxe4U

√ I have space for two more coaching clients. If you are interested send me an email maria@butterflymoms.com!

THE BOOK… “Mom Entrepreneur Extraordinaire”

The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live who bought our wonderful book MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE… Buy one so you can put your city/town/country on the list like so many other beautiful ButterflyMoms have!

Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated!LOVE to know that you were here! It feeds my soul! :)!

Good Morning Beautiful ButterflyMoms!

This morning at 5:03 a.m. my seven-year-old daughter, Mialotta, came downstairs crying from a nightmare she had just had. She does not often have them and this one was a doozy. Initially the more I tried to get her to share what she had seen, the more she resisted. It kind of felt like when you are dealing with a tick, the more you pull to get it off, the more it DIGS IN. Hmmmm… So I had to unearth her ickies in a different way. ACTIVATE INTUITION!

First, I had to get her back to her thinking mode. I took many parenting classes with the wonderful child expert Ellen Kerstein who teaches Conscious Discipline workshops. Ellen taught us that when kids (or adults 😉 are having temper tantrums they are COMPLETELY in their brain stem. This is the part of the oldest part of brain (evolutionarily-speaking) where there is no speech. It is all about survival. It is your fight or flight mode. We know someone is in this space when you try to talk to them and they seem to not hear a word you are saying. This is where we as parents are most likely to lose our cool. 🙁 Just so you know, there is absolutely NO WAY to communicate with a child that is in this place. Knowing this little fact helps us be able to RESOLVE, instead of thinking the child is being….(fill in the blank) a) bratty b) spoiled c) disrespectful d) whatever feeling comes up for you.

The best way is to help your child get back to her pre-frontal lobes, the problem-solving part of the brain. This is done through touching and speaking in a soothing voice. Today I rubbed the bottoms of her feet (helps her ground too), held her in my lap and rubbed her back. I could physically see her relax. While I was doing this I was speaking to her. I asked her questions, most of which she initially asked me to repeat because she was so deep into her brain stem. It is all information. If you JUDGE IT you label it. Once you label something you no longer receive information. You ASS-U-ME. (Sound familiar? 😉

All these activities move her into the part of her brain that allows her to CREATE CHOICE. CHOICE is what guides our lives. It is the choice of what we focus on that gives us more of “that”. As you go about your day check in with yourself and see what part of your brain are you in. Notice especially when you are in your brain stem and wondering why you cannot solve the issue at hand.

Here is to a fantastic day! Please read the updates and event below. They also feed your soul! :)!

Big honkin’ hugs,

Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

🙂

MORE WAYS TO FEED YOUR SOUL…

√ THIS THURSDAY, September 22 from 12-2pm, I will be speaking at the DreamFactory Luncheon. The topic is IGNITE YOUR BIGGEST DREAM! at the delicious Bella Costa restaurant (147 Cochituate Rd, Framingham). Lunch for 1st time attendees to the DreamFactory Community is only $25 (the lunch is VERY yummy!) This is a wonderful community…Space is limited so please sign up early to reserve your spot. It would be soooooooo awesome to see you there! To sign up NOW CLICK… http://www.cantorconsulting.com/Programs/tabid/298/CategoryID/68/Default.aspx

√ It will be here before you know it so sign up now. Do your New Year’s Resolution Early! Take care of yourself! October 21-23 you have a date with yourself in Vermont at the beautiful Lareau Farm Inn for the first ever ButterflyMoms Fall Retreat! Price is only $299 if you pay before October 15, after that it goes up to $365 which includes all the workshops, materials, most meals and lodging. There are a very limited number of spots so don’t be on the outside wishing you had booked it! We have gotten a number of requests for spots so reserve your spot now!! YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! TALK ABOUT REJUVINATING YOUR SOUL! WOW! To book it send an email to maria@butterflymoms.com! Scholarships available. You will only regret NOT going!

This week’s ButterflyMoms updates…

*Just finished our 16th week in a row of ButterflyMoms Workshops!!!!! Next week we are having a special guest, the amazing Marianne Sage. You can read more about her at her site… http://www.crystalsinger.webs.com/index.html She’ll share her passion and wisdom about how crystals are formed and how they work. She will bring lots of them with her. Some will even be for sale if you want to take one home. 🙂 Don’t miss out on all the fun…Come next Thurs, September 22nd at 8pm! 783 Washington St, Holliston. Plenty of FREE & EASY PARKING in back. Only $25 or just $20 if pay through Paypal http://bit.ly/mS7c70

*We sold one ENTREPRENEUR MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE book this week. Thank you to the mystery person who bought one at Brick House Realty! Until I find out who you are I will put that you are from Holliston!! :)! See the cool list of all the countries and states where people have bought books at the end of this blog. To feed the soul of a friend buy them a copy by CLICKING HERE NOW… http://bit.ly/gRxe4U

* On the 10th anniversary of 9-11 we held our first ever ButterflyMoms Healing Share. We had about 30 people including kids…they are the ones who really get this stuff! We even had a 93 year old who had never done anything like this but said, “Hey this feels pretty good!” How cool is that? We collected about nine bags of groceries and will be delivering it to the Holliston Food Pantry this week! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED THEIR TIME, SPACE, TABLES, FOOD and LOVE!

*Did eight more Reiki/Full Spectrum healings this past week. To book a healing send an email with times you are available to maria@butterflymoms.com! Cost is $60 for a session.

THE BOOK… “Mom Entrepreneur Extraordinaire”

The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live who bought our wonderful book MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE… Buy one so you can put your city/town/country on the list like so many other beautiful ButterflyMoms have!

Wherever you go this week remember that YOU are a part of the AMAZING ButterflyMoms community! Know that you are not alone, that you don’t have to effort in life. LIVING is NOT EFFORTING. If you are efforting you are GOING THE WRONG WAY. Come every Friday to connect and feed your soul…It’s the part of you that is absolutely PERFECTLY YOU! :)! YAAAAY!!!

This week’s ButterflyMoms updates…

*Just finished our 13th week in a row of ButterflyMoms Workshops!!!!! My beautiful baby daughter Sophia lived for 13 months and because it was the 13th one everyone who came got a certificate for a free Reiki session! We also did a wonderful meditation that everyone love, love, loved. Don’t miss out on all the fun…Come next Thurs, September 1st at 8pm! 783 Washington St, Holliston. Plenty of FREE & EASY PARKING in back. Only $25 or just $20 if pay through Paypal http://bit.ly/mS7c70

*We sold yet another ENTREPRENEUR MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE book this week to the wonderful attorney Janice Wilson who is putting the city of WRENTHAM, MA on the ButterflyMoms map. YAY JANICE FOR SUPPORTING MY DREAMS! THANK YOU!… See the cool list of all the countries and states where people have bought books…*To feed the soul of a friend buy them a copy by CLICKING HERE NOW… http://bit.ly/gRxe4U

*Just finished my Reiki III Master Certification last week in Rhode Island. Have already done some long distance healing to people who don’t necessarily believe or even know what it is but the results were wonderful, because Reiki is wonderful. One was in Lisbon, Portugal, the other two were in Hudson, MA. I feel very happy to have accomplished this! Next comes teacher training :)!

SAVE THESE DATES…FOR YOUR HEART :)!

√ WHIP OUT your calendar and write down Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 21-23 you have a date with yourself in Vermont at the beautiful Lareau Farm Inn for the first “EVAH” ButterflyMoms Fall Retreat! Price is only $299 if you pay before October 2, after that it goes up to $365 which includes all the workshops, materials, most meals and lodging. There are a very limited number of spots so don’t be on the outside wishing you had booked it! Just book it now and be done with it! YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!! TALK ABOUT REJUVINATING YOUR SOUL!!! WOW! For a flyer send me an email maria at butterflymoms.com :)!

√ On the 10th anniversary of 9-11 there will be a ButterflyMoms Healing Share on Sunday, September 11 from 4-6 pm at the offices above Brick House Realty. For more information please send me an email maria @ butterflymoms.com. This is a way to shift the energy of our planet from the horrors of 9-11 into healing and love. Bring a donation to the food pantry. Event is Free. Kids are welcome.

√ I will be speaking at the DreamFactory Luncheon on Thursday, September 22 from 11:30-2:00pm. The topic is IGNITE YOUR BIGGEST DREAM! It will be held in Framingham at the Bella Costa restaurant (147 Cochituate Rd). Lunch for 1st time attendees to the DreamFactory Community is only $25 (the lunch is VERY yummy!) If you have a business to promote and would like support around that this is a wonderful community to belong to…To sign up: http://www.cantorconsulting.com/Programs/tabid/298/CategoryID/68/Default.aspx

Now onto the ButterflyMoms blog…

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLYMOMS!

WOW! When you are on your path, you start noticing and seeing how life shifts!

When you were very little, you played in the world. As you began to grow, the good opinions of others also grew. You noticed that you would be rewarded for certain behaviors and punished for others. You began to follow a line of behavior that comes from the OUTSIDE of YOU, instead of INSIDE. This has worked for millions of years of human existence because it truly helped us simply survive….but now…Now we live in a different world where the OUTSIDE voices have run amok!

Yes, we start off listening to our inner voice then somewhere it switches to such a degree that we don’t even know if we still have one anymore. If you are alive, you have an inner voice, no matter how silent you think it has been. That precious voice is your INTUITION, the very first GPS in the universe. ITS PURPOSE is to guide you towards YOUR PURPOSE. So what happens when you ignore it? You know what happens. You start wandering aimlessly through the world trying this and doing that but not really ever “fitting” anywhere.

Imagine that you are at a party in the middle of nowhere with no ride. Assume this is a vvvvvvvery loud party with people talking, laughing, yelling, and loud music. Your phone rings. It is someone who wants to give you important directions. You can make out a few words but most of it is incomprehensible. Let’s say that the caller is giving you directions on how to get to your happiness, your life’s treasure, your purpose. What do you do then? Do you stay at this party and keep trying to piece what is being said? Do you turn off the music? Do you tell people to be quiet? Do you move to a place where you think you can hear better? When none of this works what do you do? Do you start to get angry and start blaming…the phone, the people, the party, the noise, your situation, the caller, your hearing?

TAKE A DEEP BREATH! If you are a fan of mysteries like James Bond (or Austin Powers) 😉 where you were wondering how he would get out of his predicament, let’s apply those powers of figuring it out here.

No matter what you believe, what label you give it, we all come from SOURCE ENERGY. SOURCE ENERGY is constant. It never takes a day off, never has a blip in the matrix. The more you can become aware of that SOURCE ENERGY the more you can HEAR/SEE/FEEL/KNOW what your next step is. BTW, SOURCE ENERGY is the one calling you at that loud party.

Now you might be wondering, “WHY WHY WHY would SOURCE ENERGY be calling me when I’m at a vvvvvvvvvvery loud party!? How inconsiderate!” The key here is that all that party noise is what you create in your life. That represents all the STUFF you keep adding to be able to live the life others have told you (directly and indirectly), you are supposed to live…. “good grades”, “good schools” “good job”, “good husband/wife”, “nice house”, “2.5 kids”…and a dog. WE are all GUILTY of FILLING OUR LIVES with all the things(both activities and items) that are supposed to make us happy. We do it for a while, might even do it for a long while but it’s like wearing shoes that are a tad bit too big/small. It might look fine on the outside but on the inside it does not FEEL GOOD. Sure you can cut off your feelings and “suck it up” (as we say/insinuate to our kids and ourselves) and walk in those shoes anyways for a while. Some even do it their entire lives because after a while they are just numb all over. They kill their feelings because they want to hear the message. SIDENOTE: This is typically when DIS-EASE (diseases) start entering the body.

So HOW do you start listening to/ connecting with SOURCE ENERGY? Think of your day today. It is most likely filled with STUFF you “have” TO DO. REMINDER TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH HERE! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :)! FEELS GOOD!

If you choose to CARVE OUT time in your day for a moment, a minute, a string of moments to still your mind you will get to this place where you connect to SOURCE ENERGY. The word MEDITATION “scares”, or maybe it more “annoys” people because to the mind it is has the perception of being “boring”. I was (and on certain days still am) one of those people. I never grew up with it. Did not know what it was or HOW to do it. I now see how wonderful of a gift it can be. There are a million different ways to meditate. It is worth taking the time to explore which one works best for you. It can be as simple as getting on YOUTUBE and doing a guided mediation on there with someone who looks worth listening to, for you. Meditation is so important that we do meditations at the ButterflyMoms Workshops and will also be doing it at the Retreat in October. (I soooooo hope you join us.)

Most of the things on your TO DO LIST will drain you, putting:

√ Play with Meditation today

will feed your soul.

Great big hugs,
Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

PS HEY! HEY! I CO-AUTHORED A BOOK! YESSIR I DID! The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live who bought our wonderful book MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE… Buy one so you can put your city/town/country on the list like so many other beautiful ButterflyMoms have!

UNITED STATES

California

Anaheim 1

Fullerton 1

Sacramento 1

San Bruno 1

Connecticut

Greenwich 1

Yalesville 1

Florida

Fort Lauderdale 1

Kentucky

Louisville 1

Maryland

Chestertown 1

Massachusetts

Ashland 2

Bolton 1

Holliston 13

Hudson 4

Medway 3

North Easton 1

Sherborn 1

South Grafton 1

Watertown 1

Worcester 3

Wrentham (NEW THIS WEEK! THANK YOU JANICE WILSON FOR ADDING YET ANOTHER TOWN TO OUR EVER GROWING LIST! HOW COOL! )

Here are this week’s important yet “wicked” fun ButterflyMoms updates…

*Just finished our 10th week in a row of ButterflyMoms workshops! WHEW WHO!!! This week had the beautiful Paula Mark of Holliston who runs Doe Hill Farm. Since we have been talking about the first three chakras she brought in the herbs that accompany them. We learned about infusions and concoctions and had a great time tasting and smelling them. It feels awesome! Next week we are doing something different. We’re continuing our 11th class again next Thursday, August 11th, 8pm.

Wait, there’s more…GREAT NEWS! For those for whom Thursday nights don’t work I’m going to teach ONE Wednesday night class on HOW TO MANIFEST WHAT YOU WANT from 7-9pm. See if this will work better for you. 🙂

Both workshops will be held at 783 Washington St, Holliston. Plenty of FREE parking in back. Only $25 at the door or just $20 if you drop off a check or pay through Paypal… http://bit.ly/mS7c70 . If you have been thinking about coming just do it…Come to feed your soul! You will be soooooooooooo happy you did!

*SAVE THE DATE. I’m thrilled to let you know that we are having our very first ButterflyMoms retreat!!!! This time in Vermont. Save the date on your calendar for the weekend of October 22, 2011! You probably want to take that Friday off so that you have even more time to yourself!!! 🙂 TALK ABOUT REJUVINATING YOUR SOUL!!! WOW! 🙂 More details to follow!

*For the 17thth week my computer and website issues are still a work in progress. My computer is now in the hands of the fifth computer guy, maybe the fifth time is the charm, eh? Please keep sharing the site to friends.

We are experiencing the middle of summer and I’m personally sensing a SHIFT. Are you? I have taken enough classes, read enough books, seen enough soap operas (both real and on TV) 😉 and lived enough to know that TRUE happiness comes for being present in the moment. Not to be rude but I don’t really need a long-bearded “guru” to tell me that, but KNOWING and DOING are two different worlds. What I do need is gentle and sometimes not-so-gentle reminders of being in the moment, where all of LIFE’s JUICE is! And I, for one, ENVISION myself living life in a JUICY WAY! How about you?

YUP this is definitely me! 😉

This week after years of procrastinating, my husband Doug and I went to the Ashram in Millis, Massachusetts and took a yoga class there. Now I’ve been doing yoga for a very long time, longer than most on the east coast and whenever I CARVE out the time for it, I feel sooooooooo wonderful! I feel like I’m connecting to the fun part of me, the deeper more present part of me.

Now two nights before I had seen EAT, PRAY, LOVE (book is better but movie is good too) and I had that vision of her there in my mind. I like Julia Roberts’ energy so it was a reminder that yoga is fun and for me to CONNECT with that fun!

My yoga class was taught by the beautiful Victoria Haffer, the Ashram's director! She is sooo great at what she does!

Honor thy "toesies"... it should be one of the Commandments

So there I was at the Ashram in Millis in this STUNNING room. I was sitting in a pose with my knees bent in the position most of us call the BUTTERFLY…did not get that HIT until now, WOW! DUH! The Butterfly! Ahhhhhh….never a dull moment!

So in this position the soles of my feet are together and as I’m looking down I see my toes and especially the bottom of my toes…that started me thinking, no, not thinking more like wondering while I was OBSERVING my “toesies” (as my 3 year old Isabella would call them). For a few PRECIOUS MOMENTS I was completely mesmerized by them. They seemed to wiggle at their own discretion. They seemed really happy and childlike to me. I noticed I had never REALLY noticed them, especially the bottom of my “toesies”. I thought about all the thousands and thousands of miles they have helped me move from one place to another. REALLY take that in for a moment. I let myself feel what it would feel like if I had not had that ability. In those few precious moments I was in my own blissful world, being present and loving every moment.

Sometimes in a world full of people who are SLEEPING or going through life on AUTOMATIC PILOT, only something huge like drugs, sugar or Disneyland can bring some satisfaction but really THE SECRET is much closer than most of “the advertisers” would lead us to believe, just look down at your “beautiful” “toesies”, notice them, wiggle them, love them and thank them for all the happiness and adventure they have brought and continue to bring to your life….This is being in the present moment. This is the recipe for how joy and meaning gets invited into your life…I invite you to send out YOUR INVITATION every moment you see your BEAUTIFUL TOESIES! :)!!!!!

Great big hugs,
Mariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

🙂

PS HEY! I CO-AUTHORED A BOOK! WOW! The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live who bought our wonderful book MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE… Buy one so you can put your city/town/country on the list like so many other beautiful ButterflyMoms have! 🙂

*Started our ButterflyMoms Chakra workshops and welcomed some new faces. Thank you Denise, Kerri, Jennifer, Mary, Christine and Susan and to Karen, Raquel, Nancy, Ellen, Maria, Nancy, Karen, Karin, Hilde, Christine, Donna, Jess and Gaynor who were there in spirit! We’re meeting again next Thursday, July 21st, 8pm at 783 Washington St, Holliston. Plenty of FREE parking in back. Only $25 at the door or just $20 if you drop off a check or pay through Paypal… http://bit.ly/mS7c70 . 🙂 Come to feed your soul!

*For the 13 or 14th week my computer and website issues are still a work in progress. Please keep sharing the site to friends. I apologize for the hiccups.

*No new books sold for MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE this week. Third week of no book sales. All potential book buyers must be on vacation… I hope they come back soon! ;). Keep putting your dream out there too!

THIS WEEK's BUTTERLYMOMS WINNER... Kerri Miller holding her! prize!!

*We had our second ButterflyMoms blog contest and picked the winner last night at the ButterflyMoms workshop. (drum roll) Envelop please…And the winner is…. the beautiful KERRI MILLER of Holliston. Kerri has attended all seven of the ButterflyMoms workshops!!!! YAY KERRI! I guess all the power of attraction exercises are paying off, eh?! 😉 Kerri Miller is a Holistic Health Practitioner and Feng Shui Master, coaching those seeking better health by integrating Nutritional Coaching, Energetic Healing, Aromatherapy! More contests coming in the fall!

Now onto the ButterflyMoms blog…

We’ve all heard the saying, “Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans.” Well that is JUST how my morning went. In the middle of writing my blog I heard a H-U-G-E thump. I don’t know if you have ever heard the sound of a body falling…even from a very short distance. It is a very eerie sound. I heard this sound this morning…It was one of our exchange students who had an infection on her leg and did not let us know. She was in severe pain and did not sleep at night at all. She was exhausted and literally passed out downstairs in the kitchen at like 6am this morning! Long story short she is fine after six hours of an ambulance ride, working out insurance from another country, CAT scan, blood samples, injections of morphine, shots of novocain, draining her wound, saline drip and antibiotics, standing in line, booking a follow up appointment and getting prescriptions.

The day was filled with emotion! Being in the hospital not knowing if she was ok or not triggered when I was there five years ago when Sophia died. I have to admit that a lot of times when I’m with other people around, I SWALLOW MY FEELINGS about her death, about missing her. I don’t know if I think people don’t want to be “bothered” or “cannot handle it”. I also FEAR that if I start crying it will trigger THE ABYSS OF PAIN that parents who lose children KNOW in their cells. It is almost PALPABLE, this pain. I know it is not real but when you are IN IT, it feels like the most real things in the world.

Just like every day, my day was made up of millions of tiny, little choices. Today I chose to FEEL my grief when it came up and not BURY it somewhere inside. I cried in front of Laura, Doug, about four nurses, two doctors and one waitress. At least FOR TODAY I let go of what others would do or say. I FELT THE FEELING and THEN EXPRESSED IT…this time is through tears…other times is through HUGGING.

Hugging Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick

I HUG a lot because each time I do it gives me the opportunity to CONNECT with another soul and show my GRATITITUDE for being here. I have found in this lifetime that we as humans have a tendency of neglecting our bodies, a lot! Hugging allows people to GROUND themselves and BE PRESENT. Most people LOVE hugs because it brings them to their present moment. I have a suspicion that when people don’t like hugs it’s probably because it triggers a past moment instead of a present one.

Today I allowed myself to FEEL SAD and it did not send me to the ABYSS OF PAIN I so fear, at times. This journey has a lot to do with trust. The only power we have is CHOICE. When I try to CONTROL things Igive away the only power I’ve ever had, that is the power of CHOICE! When I’m in my present moment and feeling what comes up I CREATE an OPPORTUNITY to raise my quality of life by allowing ENERGY to NATURALLY FLOW. Blocking ENERGY leads to nothing but grief and pain.

I invite you to PLAY with whatever feelings come up for you…FEELINGS ARE WISDOM, it is how the universe communicates. When I FEAR MY FEELINGS I BLOCK MY FLOW OF ABUNDANCE! Just noticing when I do it….and the consequences I receive for FLOW or LACK OF FLOW. CHOICE is the key. The key only exists in the PRESENT MOMENT. May you remember to savor your “NOW”!

Great big hugs,

Maariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

🙂

The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live who bought our wonderful book MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE…

*Last night we had yet another ButterflyMoms Manifestation Class. We fed a lot of souls. 🙂 Because it feels so good we’re having another one. We’re meeting next Thursday, June 23th, 8pm at 783 Washington St, Holliston. Easy to get to on Rt 16 & FREE parking in back. Only $25 at the door (still let me know you’re coming because space is limited) or just $20 if you drop off a check or pay through Paypal… http://bit.ly/mS7c70 . It’s a simple first step to get back to the happy you…so grab on to it! 🙂

*My computer and website stuff was put on hold due to our Mandy’s passing. My intention is to address it this week so I will be better at answering your emails. 😉 For right now it is what it is. ;)…My gentle reminder again to SURRENDER! continues 😉

*We sold zero MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE books last week. If it has been your intention to buy a book please do so this week by clicking here… http://bit.ly/gRxe4U. A list of where in the world books have been bought by other ButterflyMoms is at the end of this blog. It’s a pretty spectacular list of places. When you buy a book yours is added too!

Now onto the blog…

All the initial “funeral” attention is over. Although it has only been a little over a week I have found that this is one of the hardest phases of mourning. My world has totally shifted again HOWEVER most everyone else is still living their lives like before. They have moved on. They have enough OTHER THINGS in their life to “forget”, those closest to Mandy don’t have that luxury. Wherever we go we see her face. At random moments we remember her smell. We feel her around us but oftentimes feel helpless to connect. How do you communicate with someone who no longer has form?

Joy Dorsey and Rhys Thomas...Two Very Talented Healers and Teachers!

I am in my second year of school for this at the Rhys Thomas Energy Medicine School. I am much better than I used to be at connecting to things that have no form but still realize how very, very little I actually know. For me, specifically, I have a double dose of AWARENESS right now because in just a few days, on June 22, it will be our Sophia’s 5th Anniversary of her passing. It sounds cliché but I KNOW they are together. I mean I know that Sophia helped Mandy with her transition. As I write this there is a part of me that is FLASHING a big red WARNING light saying, “Don’t talk about this! What are people going to think.” Well, in my experience with everything I have studied and gone through, for me this is all true. I think the more people know about this the more we can get on with the business of enjoying the precious little time we have here in this lifetime…so I continue…

When we first got the call last week it was to say that Mandy had been hurt in a car accident and that it was dire. At that point she was already dead but we did not know that. I immediately sat on my couch and attempted to “tune in” to Mandy’s energy field. We do this in class for practice but this was the real deal. I desperately wanted information. In class I find myself blocking and even belittling my abilities because I see how much better others are at it than I am. (Sidenote: Oftentimes we are our own worst enemies. We are our own BULLIES stomping any possibility of success. Notice when your BULLY comes out and how it affects your life.)

When I tuned in I got that there was something wrong with her wrists. I got that she was surrounded by lots of angels with lots of blue in the background like the magical ceiling at Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal. I got that she could not breathe. I was so IN THE MOMENT that I asked Sophia to go to her and see if she could see anything.

Beautiful Mandy 🙂

It felt like Sophia had been with me all along – I just had not really noticed but when I brought awareness to it she was right there. Instantly I saw Sophia was in the scene “sitting” IN Mandy’s lap. Sophia kept evaporating or turning into something other than form. I could tell she was trying to hang on but there was nothing to hang out to. There was no emotion with this just information. It was all very matter-of-fact. That is all I got. I went back to Doug who was at the kitchen table desperately trying to call someone – anyone – to get more information about our beloved Mandy. I described what I saw and said, “I got nothing.”

Haunting photo I took of Mandy and Sophia...So Beautiful!

It was only later that I found out that Mandy had broken both wrists in the crash and she died pretty instantly. We think she broke her neck which would have caused her to stop breathing. Mandy was already dead by the time I tried to connect with her so the message I got was there was nothing there was accurate. The fact that in my moment of grief that I reached out to Sophia and got such a simple, yet powerful, message, gives me much solace.

This has been a very rough week but also a very POWERFUL one. I want to take from Mandy’s death not the cliché reminder TO ENJOY each moment we are given. We have heard that so many times that maybe we will do that for a few minutes/hours /days but after a while we DEFAULT to the “BUSY”. We don’t like to stay in the uncomfortable. We like to FILL in the gaps of silence with STUFF, THINGS, GADGETS, CALLS, TELEVISION, BUSY WORK, IPADS, IPODS, etc., so we don’t have to be. These pretty shiny things are wonderful in moderation but we have let them FILL OUR EXISTENCE. We don’t know where they begin and we end.

Jamie and Mialotta...two cousins making new memories

The gifts that Mandy has brought me this week are many. I got to CONNECT with her friends and even members from my family that I did not bother to connect with on a deep basis because life was just too busy. Well, DEATH blows the lid off of BUSY!!!!!

Aunt Mimi, Aunt Nini and James

I got to meet and savor some of her beloved friends including James, Danny and Billie. I got to connect with my other niece, beautiful Nicole, and nephew, beautiful Daniel who are much younger and who were in that cloud of grief that many adults don’t understand. It is a hard place for kids to be. Fortunately or unfortunately, I’m a bit of an “expert” on kids and grief so I let my instinct take over. I showed them that I REALLY saw them through a few things we did together. I could see the difference it made for them and it surprisingly made a HUGE difference for me! WHAT A GIFT!!! Now we have pledged to write letters to each other for a whole year. No emails or boxes, just a simple letter written between us. Mialotta and I have already sent the first one. It contained in the letter fun math problems (because Daniel is working on his math skills), stickers and some of the funnier Sunday comics…funny I had not read the Sunday comics in years…I used to LOVE it!!! Yes, another simple gift…AND there were many other gifts…

I got to see my own daughter process some of her grief from her baby sister’s death and that of her beloved artistic cousin. “Whose going to give me hugs and kisses like Mandy does?,” she said sobbing. I got the gift of meeting Mandy’s beloved high school art teacher who is starting a scholarship in Mandy’s memory. 🙂 Mandy would have LOVED that!!! You could easy tell she loved Mandy very much! Amy spoke about how Mandy loved her art and often came back to mentor other kids. I invited Amy to read ButterflyMoms this week. I hope she is reading it right now! 😉

Stan shared his poetry, his memories and his heart

I got the gift of connection with a long-time friend of the family Stan from Manhattan who is a dearheart and whom I’ve gotten to know over the years through FB. I got to connect with some of the family’s old friends/neighbors especially Tonya and Lou who taught me the gift of being present with someone’s grief, with just showing up and holding the space for a bereaved mother to simply cry her heart out for the child she will never again hold. I got the gift of deeply connecting with my brothers-in-law, a studly group of gentlemen with hearts the size of the Empire State Building. I got the gift of connecting to Valerie, Carrie and Evelyn who showed what true friendship and support is all about. I got the gift of connecting with my Sophia on a whole new level that I will continue to explore. There are many, many, many other gifts that I received and even more that I will receive from our beautiful Mandy.

Photo of Mialotta taken by Mandy Heliotis

I cannot change her death but I can live my life in a way that honors what she stood for, all that courage to be authentic, all that passion, all that love, all that vision, all that creativity, all that connection, all that presence. I can increase my AWARENESS of when she is around and how she still influences the world through the magnificence that we call MANDY!

One of Mandy's paintings...sooo much talent!

I invite you to live your life in the present moment and see all the wonderful gifts around you!!! BREATHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! 🙂 FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL! LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOVE!!!!

Great big hugs,

Maariaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

🙂

The following is a list of places where ButterflyMoms live who bought our wonderful book MOM ENTREPRENEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE…

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